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Title: REPORT OF A NOVEL BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION FOR PARACRIAS HUBERI GUMOVSKY (HYMENOPTERA: EULOPHIDAE) WITH A REDESCRIPTION OF THE FEMALE AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE UNKNOWN MALE

Author
item METZ, M - TEMP ASSIGNMENT, SEL
item Gates, Michael
item Schauff, Michael

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2005
Publication Date: 6/14/2005
Citation: Metz, M.A., Gates, M.W., Schauff, M.E. 2005. Report of a novel biological association for Paracrias huberi Gumovsky (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with a redescription of the female and a description of the unknown male. Zootaxa. (#178780: June 14, 2005)

Interpretive Summary: Biologically based control of insect pests is dependent to a large degree on small parasitic wasps, which attack and kill their hosts. These wasps are responsible for controlling numerous crop pests and save farmers millions of dollars in losses. In this paper, we describe the unknown male and redescribe the female of a wasp species known to attack weevils. This work reports previously unknown biology for these wasps. It attacks leaf-rolling beetles on oak trees, which may be important in pest management and conservation of some locally threatened tree species. This information will be useful to pest managers, biological control workers, and conservation biologists.

Technical Abstract: The female of Paracrias huberi Gumovsky (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is redescribed and the previously unknown male described from material collected by George B. Vogt near Plummers Island, Maryland. The species is diagnosed and placed within the current phylogenetic concept for the genus Paracrias. Collection records indicate this species was reared from Homoeolabus analis Illiger (Coleoptera: Attelabidae), which is a leaf-rolling herbivore of Quercus spp. and Castanea spp. (Fagales: Fagaceae), thus expanding the potential host guild range of the genus Paracrias and the known biology of the species. In addition, these records report an association with Q. prinus L., a species native to the eastern United States. The implications of these discoveries in relation to the biology of the plant, host, and wasp parasite are reviewed and discussed.